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French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multi-party elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government was largely dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967 and maintains a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in February 2005, the military installed the president's son, Faure GNASSINGBE, and then engineered his formal election two months later. Democratic gains since then allowed Togo to hold its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in October 2007. After years of political unrest and condemnation from international organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community. In January 2012, Togo assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People and Society ::Togo

Nationality:

noun: Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Togolese

Ethnic groups:

African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Languages:

French (official, the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Religions:

Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%

Population:

7,154,237 (July 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

note:estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

note:highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds
(2009)

Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel; Court of Audits

Political parties and leaders:

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square is in the upper hoist-side corner; the five horizontal stripes stand for the five different regions of the country; the red square is meant to express the loyalty and patriotism of the people; green symbolizes hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow represents mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and Togo's independence

note:uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National anthem:

name: "Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)

lyrics/music:
Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH

note:adopted 1960, restored 1992; this anthem was replaced by another during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992

Economy ::Togo

Economy - overview:

This small, sub-Saharan economy suffers from anemic economic growth and depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant share of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is among the world's largest producers of phosphate and Togo seeks to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed over recent years. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a HIPC debt relief completion point in 2010 at which 95% of the country's debt was forgiven. Togo continues to work with the IMF on structural reforms.

2 state-owned TV stations with multiple transmission sites; 5 private TV stations broadcast locally; cable TV service is available; state-owned radio network with multiple stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2007)

Internet country code:

.tg

Internet hosts:

1,168 (2012)

country comparison to the world: 170

Internet users:

356,300 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 123

Transportation ::Togo

Airports:

8 (2012)

country comparison to the world: 162

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
2 (2012)

Railways:

total: 568 km

country comparison to the world: 110

narrow gauge:
568 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 7,520 km

country comparison to the world: 146

paved:
2,376 km

unpaved:
5,144 km (2000)

Waterways:

50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011)

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,577,572

females age 16-49:
1,589,715 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,104,536

females age 16-49:
1,158,061 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 74,036

female:
73,515 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2011)

country comparison to the world: 74

Transnational Issues ::Togo

Disputes - international:

in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006, 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River